HIV-positive truck drivers to get free medicines

Blood centres to be inaugurated in Multan, Bahawalpur on March 15

LAHORE: The Punjab AIDS Control Programme (PACP) has announced providing free medicine of hepatitis to all truck drivers testing positive during the ongoing screening drive in different cities of Punjab.

In a joint meeting of PACP and Hepatitis Control Programme at the Primary and Secondary Healthcare (PSH) department on Thursday, it was decided the programmes would synergise their projects and awareness strategies regarding HIV/AIDs and hepatitis B and C. The meeting was attended by Health Services Punjab, Director General, Dr Mukhtar Hussain Syed, PSH, Additional Secretary Admin, Dr Adnan Zafar Khan, PSH, Additional Secretary Technical Dr Asim Altaf, programme managers, renowned consultant Prof Ghiasun Nabi Tayyeb, Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute, Medical Director, Prof Amir, Gastroenterologist Services Hospital, and officials of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare department.



It was decided in the meeting that testing, diagnostic and reporting mechanism would be completely computerised.

The meeting reviewed operational modalities for strengthening PCR testing mechanism including reporting and transportation of samples.

The PACP representative said there was an ample stock of antiretroviral medicines available for HIV/AIDS patients at treatment facilities and adequate buffer stock was also maintained with the Punjab AIDS Control Programme.

Blood transfusion

The Regional Blood Centres (RBCs) constructed in collaboration with the German Institution KFW (Safe Blood Transfusion Project) will be inaugurated in Multan and Bahawalpur on March 15.

This information was shared by Punjab Minister Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique in a meeting held at the Civil Secretariat to review arrangements for the inaugural ceremony. The centres will be inaugurated in both the cities on the same day.

The minister said RBCs are being constructed at divisional level in several cities and in two phases. This project would not only provide safe blood to the patients when needed but would also help control the spread of infectious diseases, he added.



Blood banks at public sector hospitals at divisional level would be linked to the RBCs for which an effective system to supply screened blood to the hospitals would be in place, he said.

A directory of volunteer blood donors would also be compiled, he said, adding a vigorous awareness campaign would be launched to sensitise young people to donate blood for which elected public representatives and local bodies would also be taken on board.

In the second phase, RBCs would be established in Faisalabad and the ground-breaking ceremony will be held on March 14.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2017.